In soccer and robotics at Mundelein, Samantha Nevergall builds toward future in biomechanical engineering at Stanford

Samantha Nevergall sees moving parts and wants to make them work together.

Nevergall, a senior defender for Mundelein girls soccer, has also been part of the school’s robotics team.

“I like how it’s always changing,” she said about robotics. “Every year is a different challenge. It’s very competitive. You find something wrong with your robot, it can get frustrating in the moment, and it also keeps you on your toes. The whole year you are constantly revamping and building.”

With Nevergall, the robotics team twice placed highly in the VEX Robotics state competition and was invited to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championship, a first for the school.

“It’s a game challenge where two robots are on a team going up against another team,” Nevergall said. “There’s different game elements. The past year’s challenge was Frisbee discs on the field, where robots pick them up and shoot into a goal in a two-versus-two tournament with 30-plus teams. It’s learning to work with another robot.”

Much the same can be said about soccer.

“Everybody has to have their niche on the team. Soccer is the same,” Nevergall said. “You have different positions. You have a teammate who is really good at playing a driven ball, another one with a strong kick. It’s about knowing your teammates and how you can work together in that sense.”

Nevergall, a fourth-year varsity soccer player, has been working with her teammates to build the Mustangs’ best record in years. Entering a North Suburban Conference game against Lake Forest on Monday, Mundelein (14-7-1, 2-3-1) already had its most wins in a season since 2013.

Mundelein coach Seong Ha said Nevergall’s contributions to the team aren’t obvious.

“Sam’s not the fastest girl. She’s not somebody who will stand out on the field in terms of blowing you away,” Ha said. “What she does so well compared to others is that she keeps it simple. She’s very methodical and tactical. She digs deep and plays the game the right way and sets an example for the squad.”

Ha said Nevergall’s soccer IQ is off the charts.

“She clearly understands risk versus reward,” Ha said. “If she doesn’t think she can connect a pass, the risk is not worth the reward. She will make a decision on behalf of the team progressing in the right direction. She won’t put us in a counterattack or poor situation. She doesn’t do things where we will lose control of the ball.

“The simplicity she plays with is quite outstanding. It speaks to her intelligence.”

Nevergall, who has a 4.44 GPA and scored a perfect 36 on the ACT, will attend Stanford. She said she’s the first Mundelein student to be accepted by the university in three years. She plans to major in biomechanical engineering.

“I’ve always had the dream of moving to California,” she said. “I just like the culture and kind of people (Stanford) creates. Spending the next four years there will really shape me. Biomedical engineering interests me because I like biology and how random life seems.”

In the meantime, Nevergall wants to enjoy her senior year.

“Everything is moving so fast, and I can become so focused on the next place I’m going,” she said. “But I wanted to wrap up my last year in soccer, school and robotics by enjoying it and living in the moment.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.